One Year of Zakiyah-Najib Administration: Thousands of Serang Students and Teachers Awarded Scholarships

Serang Regency Government, under the leadership of Regent Ratu Rachmatuzakiyah and Deputy Regent Muhammad Najib Hamas, continues to strengthen its commitment to enhancing human capital through the education sector.

The initiative is realised through scholarship programmes targeting thousands of students and educators as part of the ‘Serang Bahagia’ vision within its first year in office.

The scholarship programme is structured across various education levels. For primary schools, 1,866 students received grants of IDR 750,000 each, with a total budget of IDR 1.399 billion.

For junior high schools, 1,228 students received grants of IDR 1 million each, with a total allocation of IDR 1.228 billion.

The assistance aims to ease parental burdens and ensure children’s continued education in Serang Regency.

Beyond students, the government has also focused on improving educators’ competencies.

This includes a master’s degree scholarship programme at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia for 24 teachers, with each receiving IDR 11.45 million, totalling IDR 274.9 million.

Additionally, the PAUD (early childhood education) scholarship programme has been strengthened. Eighty new recipients received IDR 2.5 million each for one semester, totalling IDR 200 million, while 149 continuing recipients received IDR 5 million for two semesters each, with a total budget of IDR 945 million.

Serang Regency Education and Culture Department Head Aber Nurhadi stated that the programme stems from the recognition that education is key to building the region’s future.

The local government, he said, aims to ensure all community layers have equal access to quality education.

‘This programme aims to alleviate public burdens while improving education quality. It is part of the Serang Bahagia vision, where education is the foundation of regional progress,’ he said in an official statement on Monday (25/5).

According to Aber, scholarships impact not only economic aspects but also foster a learning spirit and enhance educators’ capabilities.

‘We aim to ensure no child drops out due to financial constraints. Meanwhile, teachers must continue to develop to produce a competitive, outstanding generation,’ he said.

He added that the programme is designed as a long-term investment for Serang Regency. With improved education quality, a new generation capable of driving regional development across various sectors is expected.

‘We hope this programme will produce intelligent, morally upright generations ready to face contemporary challenges. Similarly, we want teachers to become more professional and serve as inspirations for students,’ he added.

Meanwhile, Arif, a scholarship recipient teacher, expressed gratitude for the government’s attention. He viewed the programme as tangible proof of the government’s support for education.

‘Alhamdulillah, this assistance is highly meaningful. It is not only financial aid but also a form of care and motivation to improve our capabilities,’ he said.

Arif hopes the scholarship programme will continue and reach more recipients in the future. He believes support for teachers and students will significantly impact overall education quality.

‘Hopefully more people will benefit in the future. As teachers, we are motivated to give our best for students, knowing we are supported and valued,’ he said.

The scholarship programme is one of Serang Regency Government’s concrete steps to build a high-quality human capital. With collaboration between government, schools, and the community, the Serang Bahagia vision in education is expected to be sustainably realised.

Meanwhile, in 2025, Serang Regency Government has carried out the revitalisation of 17 primary schools and proposed 153 schools for this year. For junior high schools, 11 schools were revitalised in 2025 and 45 are proposed for 2026.

To implement the Diniyah Regional Regulation, the Education and Culture Department has conducted local curriculum development training involving multiple parties, including Quranic literacy training for 212 participants, attended by the Department Head, Serang Regency Ministry of Religious Affairs Head, FKDT chairman, and Kemenag PAI supervisors.